WWE 2K20: Braun Strowman discusses new Originals mode, being FrankenStrowman (Exclusive)
Earlier in the week, Sportskeeda reported on why Braun Strowman wasn't part of the SummerSlam card this past Sunday. However, we had plenty more to talk about - especially about the upcoming WWE 2K20 video game - which he's set to have a big part in.
Right off the bat, I had to get the most important question out of the way. I had to find out if he knew his in-game rating yet.
"[No,] I do not know the rating yet," he told me, "They haven't dropped any hints on that." However, there was a piece of news he could share with us, and that was the theme for the first add-on pack for the game, A Bump In the Night.
"On top of everything included in the pack," he explained, "There will be a playable character of Braun Strowman that is [basically] Frankenstein['s Monster]."
"There's basically going to be a DLC available after the game is released," he went on, 'unless you pre-order it" - letting us know that the first set of WWE 2K20 Originals will be free to anyone who reserves the game ahead of time - "I do know there's the [Braun as Frankenstein content] that I mentioned, and that Bray Wyatt as The Fiend wil be a playable character as well."
In fact, Wyatt will not only be playable as his latest alter-ego, but also as "The Swampfather", as well. No clue what that's supposed to entail, but considering part of the DLC takes place in a swamp, you can probably imagine something.
"With WWE 2K20," Strowman went on, "they're really trying to bring more characters and scenarios to life. They're really trying to stay a step ahead [of things] in Entertainment, what with people's attention spans being so short. We're really trying to stay ahead of the curve and bring you more than you know what to do with."
Strowman has been a playable competitor in the 2K games since WWE 2K17, so I asked him what his experience was like working on a project like this.
"It's such a different process," he said, "it's a lot different than what I'm used to, like Monday Night Raw, which is like filming a live 3-hour movie every Monday. It's a lot of holy cow running around chaos... [making the game] is a little more refined, kinda got stuff figured out."
"They bring out these cameras, " Strowman continued, "and I don't know the difference between these things and a pile of Chicklets. And they stick us in these booths with 500 cameras and they take these [3D] shots from us at every angle."
"It's been unreal to see what 2K has been able to do to bring our characters to life... they have all but given you me in real life to play with on TV."
Strowman also talked about how his presence in the game - and in the 2K20 Originals and TV ads for the game - shows how far he, and his character, have come over the past couple of years.
"I mean, I've been featured in the game [since 2017], and just being a playable character, to now being one of the focal points of the drive, pushing out the game, and being featured in the ad with all these greats [like Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin] speaks volumes about what we've been able to do for the character of Braun Strowman, as far as connecting with the WWE Universe and, on the business aspect of it, to be seen as one of the faces of the company and represent them... it's just incredible.
"And very humbling. Let's be real, six years ago I was changing tires in the rain in a little shop in North Carolina. And I packed up everything I owned into [my car] with $150 to my name and moved to Florida to start this and now, six years later, I'm one of the key players in this video game, it's unreal."
While Strowman is convinced the latest WWE title will be a "hot commodity in the locker room", he says he's not exactly a big gamer himself - in fact, calling himself "terrible". "They all line up to take me on in the game," he said, "because that's the only place they can beat me, because they're not doing it in the ring."
One of the best things about the TV campaigns for the WWE 2K games every year are the Easter Eggs included in the ads. So, I had to ask Strowman if there were any in particular that he noticed. And he brought up one that he said was "pretty obvious"... which I didn't notice until he brought it up so, man, I feel kind of dumb now.
"The pretty obvious one is Becky breaking the glass ceiling," he explained, "and with everything she's done for women around the world, and with main eventing WrestleMania, and representing this company, and I love how they brought that to life in this commercial."
"Especially [the part where she walked] up to Hulk Hogan and said 'Sorry about your ceiling', was just hilarious."
Are you excited for WWE 2K20, coming out this October? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!